Barrel Racing Report, Dec 18th 2012
Sun 6/30/2013
Barrel racing report dec 18th.gif
Flying With An Angels Wings- Mary Walker
Wins the World
Leaving for the WNFR was hard fro Mary Walker from Ennis, Texas. She knew her son Reagon would not be along for the experience. Reagon was killed in a car accident in April of 2011 and moments like this were hard. Mary knew he was with him in spirit and knew he was always with her. She said, I know he is in Heaven and he is protecting us. I couldn't have done it without him.
On the big, brown barrel racing machine Perculatin Walker jumped from third in the World to first earning $274,233. She broke Sherry Cervi's NFR earning record and won the RAM Top Gun Award- A new truck for having won the most money at this years finals.
Mary and Latte had an amazing start to the WNFR and won the 1st 3 rounds. They had a little trouble in the 4th round and knocked the 2nd barrel but they came back strong in the next rounds and won round 7. In Round 8 Mary knew she had to have a nice run and place and after round 9 she knew she had won the World. For round 10 she needed to have a nice clean run.
Going in the the WNFR Mary thought that the 1st round was going to be the most emotional, but it turned out that round 10 was the emotional one. Tuff Cooper and Reagon were best friends and rodeo buddies. They had won High School rodeo titles together and dreamed of winning World Championships together like there fathers had in 1981. Before Grand Entry on round 10 Tuff gave Mary a hug and told her that since she had her World Championship he needed to win his. After they both won there Championships they hugged and cried again.
Perculat
in also known as Latte, is Mary's wings on earth. Latte is an 8 year old gelding by Dash for Perks and out of Curiocity Corners by Sliver Lucky Buck. Mary was asked to season Latte for Cheri Cogburn and in the beginning Mary didn't know if he would ever run. But he proved to her that he can and will run. Mary started placing on him a little in the fall of 2010 and by spring of 2011 they were placing alot. Two weeks after burying her son, Latte fell on Mary at a pro rodeo in Crosby. She ended up shattering her pelvis, breaking her hip in two places, fracturing two vertebrae and two toes. She was in a wheelchair for almost 4 months. To suprise Mary and help heal her wounded soul and give her a reason to mend her broken body her husband bought Latte for her. By January Latte was carrying Mary around the barrels and by May they were firing full force and steadily marched up the standings with win after win. Mary's peers voted Latte AQHA/WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year. After 10 rounds at the WNFR Latte seems ready to go again. He will get a couple weeks rest and then they will start all over again.
Mary was very thankful for the support of fellow competitors, fans and her "suppport staff". She had a great crew with her. One was Brenda Barnes who was an NFR qualifier in the 1980s. Brenda helped take care of Latte after each round. Mary's horseshoer Charlie Thompson also flew in to help take care of Latte and make sure he was ready to run.
Facts and Figures of the 2012 NFR
Mary Walker won the World with a total year end earnings of $274,233
Mary Walker and Latte won a record $146,941 at the NFR breaking Sherry Cervi's and Stingrays record of $146,100
Mary Walker and Lisa Lockhart placed in a total of 8 rounds.
Brenda Mays and Jethro were the only ones to keep all 30 barrels up at the NFR
In 2012 there were 52 clean runs in the 13 second range
This was Sherry Cervi's 15th NFR, (Charmayne James it the only one to beat that with 19 times to the NFR)
Carlee Pierce and Rare Dillion had 5 clean runs and placed 1st or 2nd in each of those runs. They won rounds 6 and 10 and were second rounds 4, 7, and 8. Earning $79,801.69.
BFA World Championship Horse Sale Average Results
Top 5 Average: $36,100
Top 10 Average: $28,725
Sale Average on 92 Head including Repurchase: $8,628
Contact/Location
BALSAM LAKE, WI
763-227-4159